An appraisal of mass media role in consolidating democracy in. As such, support for media is an important prong of u. This paper is a contribution to the debate on democratization and development in nigeria. The media can never be separated from nigerias long walk to democracy. In simple terms, the objective of the paper is to identify and discuss the challenges to democracy and good governance in the country and proffer suggestions for a better democratic nigeria. There is no doubt about the critical role of the media in sustaining nigerian democracy.
Aside fighting to win democracy, the nigerian press has been at the forefront of sustaining nigerias nascent democracy. This paper addresses media, democracy and governance from a nigerian perspective, especially since may 29. The main thesis of the study is anchored on the contention of gana 2000 that the media in a democracy should promote the culture of peace, development, peoples. The influence of media ownership and control on media agenda. The media are supplying the political information that voters base their decisions on. A vast m ajority of nigerians looked with great expectations of better things to. Central to the process of ensuring the institutionalization, operationalization and sustenance of a credible electoral process in nigeria is the mass media. Apr 15, 2020 democracy took a completely different turn in nigeria from 1999 till date. As a result, their perspective on events follows the structure of nigerian politics that has been well constructed by post and vickers 1975. And that nigerians, dispossessed they may be, will be satisfied with a political concept that, as currently practiced in nigeria, stands empty of its substantive content. The influence of media ownership and control on media agenda setting in nigeria international journal of humanities social sciences and education ijhsse page 38 3.
History of democracy in nigeria and when did nigeria became a. Reflecting on the nigerian media, elections, and the african. The nigeria labour congress nlc has, since nigeria s return to democracy in 1999 been the platform for the nigerian people to query government policies, actions and inaction, not only for the nigerian working class, but the entire nigerian. The new social media and consolidation of democracy in.
Aug 01, 2018 pdf this study interrogates mediastate relationship under the current democratic dispensation. Democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. Apart from these roles, development scholars and professionals have widely recognized the utility of mass media in the sustenance of viable democracy. The role of the press in sustaining democracy in nigeria. Pdf the import of the media in an emerging democracy. While it remains true that nigeria is governed by democratically elected leaders at the federal and state levels, nigeria is yet to institutionalise democracy after a century of existence as a political entity. There is the dearth of vertical and horizontal compositions of unified interests in terms of. This study is carried out through the case study method which uses multiple sources of evidence to investigate postelection violence in nigeria s second republic. May 07, 2017 a recent conference at the university of edinburgh went beyond the hashtag to explore the impact of social media in africa. Key words, democracy, politics, dissent, mass media, democratization process. Ideally, democracy and media coexist and support each other through a process of negotiation hopefully aimed at developing a consensus about the public interest. The impact of social media on democracy business 2 community.
The paper discusses some of the impediments to the institutionalisation of democracy in nigeria after more. Pdf mass media, freedom of expression and democracy. Moreover, the issue we want to consider today is the role of the press in sustaining democracy in nigeria. The media and democracy in nigeria the guardian nigeria. Employing a case study approach, it highlights as well as analyzes the media s role in insisting on accountability and decency in nigeria s notoriously corrupt public life. Presently however, the electronic and print media in nigeria appear to have arrived at a similar pattern of ownership. Communication, government, democracy, information, nigeria. It is either related with communication media or specialized mass publishing communication operations such as the print publisher, advertising, broadcasting radio and television, cinema, photography, and the press. The supposed and the real role of mass media in modern democracy. Best practices are detailed for each of these issues. Chief components of any strategy are shaping the legal enabling environment, strengthening constituencies for reform, removing barriers to access, training, and supporting capitalization of media. Nigeria 2 country reports on human rights practices for 2018 united states department of state bureau of democracy, human rights and labor the government took steps to investigate alleged abuses but fewer steps to prosecute officials who committed violations, whether in the security forces or elsewhere in the government. Media carries with it a huge responsibility in a democratic setup which it has to fulfil very carefully without any bias toward anyone by bringing out the real facts before the public. Aside the print media, the television stations have also played their part in the fight against corruption and in the defense of democracy.
Mass media and democratisation in nigeria s fourth republic. The outcome of the 2007 elections was particularly worrisome. The uses and abuses of social media in africa democracy in. The whole thing started from the year1999, when olusegun obasanjo was sworn in as the first democratically elected president of nigeria. Omu 1978, has also confirmed that most of nigerias media outfits have been established in southern nigeria by southern nigerian interests. Mar 21, 2018 social media brings both positives and negatives to a democracy, to the accessibility of information to the spread of misinformation but the number of changes from advertising revisions to. It also discusses the implications of the 2007 elections on public assessment of nigerian democracy. The role of media in the democratic process in nigeria,by.
It was an effective tool in the hands of the proponents of democracy, to mobilize the ragtag and the bobtail against the smoking guns of the military to return them to their natural habitat. Democracy in nigeria is being starved of the basic tools for survival. These include supporting free and independent media to facilitate discussions across divides and ensure all sections of society, including those who feel most marginalised, are part of effective democratic discourse that is the cornerstone of democracy. Media democracy is a democratic approach to media studies that advocates for the reform of mass media to strengthen public service broadcasting and develop participation in alternative media and citizen journalism in order to create a mass media system that informs and empowers all members of society and enhances democratic values. With the return to democratic rule, and recent adaptation of the new media platforms, which are trending, the scope of political participation and criticisms has been. New media and mass communication issn 22243267 paper issn 22243275 online. The hypothesis to be tested is that medias role in national development is dependent upon their independence, freedom, and. May 29 th of every year is declared democracy day in nigeria, and it also a public holiday. Conflicttriggered by political competition and communal, ethnic, religious or resource allocation rivalriesposes a major threat to democracy. They assume erroneously that democracy is its own justification that simply being baptised with the moniker of democracy is sufficient. Pdf the media, democracy and trade unionism in nigeria. A critique of liberal perspective, authorlai oso, year20 lai oso two main theoretical frameworks have been used to explain the relationship between the mass media and the democratic process. Social media brings both positives and negatives to a democracy, to the accessibility of information to the spread of misinformation but the number of changes from advertising revisions to. How media can be an instrument of peace in conflictprone.
Democracy in nigeria problems and prospects information. Problems and prospects of democracy in nigeria infoguideng. Media has a very big role to play in a democracy and its stature is in no way less than that of politicians. See the problems and prospects of democracy in nigeria. Pdf mass media and democratisation in nigerias fourth. The nigerian media has been playing an active role in instituting democratic structures.
A look at their existing ownership pattern will reveal that there is dual ownership i. Reflecting on the nigerian media, elections, and the african democracy godwin ehiarekhian oboh1 abstract this article examines how the media could enhance the conduct of elections. It has proved itself to be a very useful invention in a number of different ways, and the most interesting thing that became available through internet to public is social media. Mass media in africas nascent democracy university of jos. Mass media and democratisation in nigerias fourth republic. Democracy is a system of government in which the citizens exercise power directly or elect representatives from among themselves to form a governing body, such as a parliament. Media accountability and democracy in nigeria, 19992003.
Media is the common communication channels or apparatus that are used to store or supply information or data. Since then, the nature of the democratic project has been the subject of debate in various circles. Nigerias present democratization, which culminated in the countrys fourth republic on may 29, 1999, started amidst great hope and expectations. Nation of the world have different system of government that is being practiced which ranges from monarchy, aristocracy, democracy just to mention in few, but history will never be completely written if the system of government was not included in the history of the nation. The mass media and the struggle for democracy in africa. Idris ahmed jamo department of public administration, ahmadu bello university zaria abstract nigeria is the fourth world largest democracy with a population of over 160 million and world sixth largest oil supplier and blessed with economic potentials, but majority of the nigerian. The media can never be separated from nigeria s long walk to democracy. As this paper will demonstrate, the period shows that, despite the obvious social reforms under way in africa. The mass media and the challenges of sustainable democratic.
Many government institutions do not adequately engage with citizens or the private sector and lack the capacity to. There are roadblocks to a strong democracy in nigeria at all levels of government. Home topics case study of conflict resolution in nigeria the mass media and national development in nigeria. In general there are some communities members who do not appreciate the role of media in enhancing real democracy especially during general elections. Dont worry if you missed it, because brooks marmon has written this great summary of the key findings to bring you up to speed. Usaids objective of the increased development of a politically. Finally, the study made recommendations to media houses and stakeholders to. This article discusses the role of the media in nigeria s fourth republic between 1999 and 2003. After the death of the military dictator, general sani abacha in 1998, general abdusalami abubakar who took over governance from him is known to have worked out nigerias return to democracy or democratic rule.
Jun 03, 2015 the result will be a virile and vibrant democracy where the citizenry enjoy real fruits of democracy and not sour grapes as most elected authorities in nigeria feed their people with. Nevertheless, the democracy story in nigeria can be traced to the year 1960. In 1859, reverend henry townsend started the first newspaper in nigeria called iwe irohin in abeokuta, southwest nigeria. The influence of media ownership and control on media.
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